The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is investigating the mega chit fund scam in Odisha, on Friday arrested Mumbai-based model and television serial producer Preeti Bhatia after interrogating her for the fifth time.
The CBI also moved the designated court seeking to take Bhatia on a five-day remand, while the court allowed it to take her on remand for four days.Bhatia is the first woman to be arrested in connection with the chit fund scam.The model, who had told the media that she was not involved in any chit fund scam after a three-hour grilling on Thursday, was grilled again on Friday before being arrested.
The CBI, during the course of its investigation into the fraud by the Artha Tatwa (AT) Group, has reportedly found strong business links between Bhatia and AT Group CMD Pradeep Sethy.Sources in the CBI said Preeti Bhatia, Pradeep Sethy and Indu Dewan were directors in a company called Prism Heights Films & Entertainment Private limited, which had its registered office in the Santa Cruz (West) area in Mumbai. The CBI had raided Bhatia’s house in Mumbai on August 16.